1999 Ford Escort

WHEN I TOOK MY CAR (1999 FORD ESCORT STATIONWAGON VIN.#[XXX]) IN FOR ITS OIL CHANGE & INSPECTION. IT FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE A REAR COIL SPRING WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED IN HALF. THE CAR IS 5 YEARS OLD, BUT ONLY HAD 8,953 MILES ON IT. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN AND ONLY DRIVE THE CAR ON A LIMITED BASIS, USUALLY FOR SHOPPING OR TO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE. I WAS TOLD THE THE SPRING WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND WAS CHARGED A TOTAL OF $412.99 (PLUS TAX) FOR THIS REPAIR. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT FORD DIRECTLY TO SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE TO COMPENSATE ME. MY SON CALLED FORD'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS # AND WAS TOLD TO SEE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER, WHO WOULD THEN SUBMIT THE CLAIM FOR ME. AFTER 2 SEPERATE VISITS TO THE DEALER, MY SON WAS TOLD: 1) THE MANAGER HAD GONE HOME EARLY THAT DAY & THAT ONLY THE MANAGER COULD DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. ON THE NEXT DAY 2) THE MANAGER WAS IN A MEETING (FRIDAY AFTERNOON @ 4:00 PM) & COULD NOT BE DISTURBED. MY SON RETURNED HOME & CALLED FORDS CUSTOMER RELATIONS #. HE WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER HAD CALLED AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY COMPENSTAION. AS FOR THE BROKEN COIL SPRING, MY SON HAD TOLD ME TO REQUEST THE BROKEN PARTS AND I DO HAVE THEM. WHEN THE SPRING BROKE, I DO NOT NO BECAUSE THE RIDE OF THE CAR WAS ALWAYS THE SAME AS WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW. NOW WITH THE NEW SPRINGS, THE REAR OF THE CAR RIDES HIGHER.*AK UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DEFECTIVE VEHICLE BACK SPRINGS. BOTH BACK SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND I PAID TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. FORD KNEW THEY WERE DEFECTIVE SINCE THEY HAD RE-DESIGNED THE SPRINGS. THE NEW SPRINGS WERE PUT ON AND NOW THE WHOLE VEHICLE BOUNCES ON THE ROAD. HANDLING IS BAD AND IF I HAVE TO TRAVEL ON A BUMPY ROAD I HAVE TO TAKE A DRAMININE. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE INSTALLED 6 NEW SPRINGS AND 8 STRUTS BUT I STILL GET SEASICK DRIVING MY CAR. IT IS SO BUMPY MY NECK HURTS RIDING IN MY CAR. *LA

TOOK VEHICLE FOR SAFETY INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD ONE BACK SPRING HAD CRACKED AND OTHER HAD MOVED OFF MOUNTING WHICH COULD CAUSE IT TO FURTHER MOVE AND PUNCTURE TIRE. FORD CORP. SAID NO RECALL ISSUED BUT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. MY LOCAL FORD DEALER DID NOT HAVE PARTS, WERE ON BACK ORDER, DIDN'T KNOW WHEN AVAILABLE. *LA

OUR ZX2 HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE! ON 9-10-02 (29,183 MILES) $342.30 WORTH OF WORK WAS DONE ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM: FRICTION RELINE, DISC PADS, BRAKE SHOES, ROTORS, DRUMS, DISC HARDWARE (WHICH WAS BROKEN), SHIM KIT, RETURN SPRINGS (WEAK), BLEED & ADJUST, AND BEARING PACK. ON 6-19-03 (37,829 MILES) WE HAD TO HAVE THE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE COST FOR THIS WAS $1560.07, BUT SINCE OUR WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED OUR LOCAL MECHANIC HAD FIREND AT A FORD DEALER WHO GAVE US THE 'GOOD FAITH' POLICY AND WE ONLY PAID HALF. GEE...WHAT A BARGAIN FOR A 4 YEAR OLD CAR. 2 MONTHS LATER, OUR A/C WENT OUT. W DELAYED REPAIR DUE TO $. ON 2-10-04 (44,000 MILES) THE HOUSING AND WATER PUMP BROKE. THIS IS A HUGE METAL PIECE WHICH THE MECHANIC SAID HE'D HAD NEVER SEEN BREAK. IT SNAPPED LIKE PLASTIC. THE COST OF THIS WAS $509.47. ON 2-24-04 (44,428 MILES) WE HAD TO HAVE THE BATTERY AND CABELS REPLACED WHICH COST $117.58. ON 3-22-04 WE REPAIRED THE A/C (45,524 MILES). THE TECHNICIAN FOUND CONSTANT CONTROL RELAY MODULE FAULTY. THIS COST $375.76. ON 4-25-04 (@ 45,700 MILES) ANOTHER HUGE METAL PIECE BROKE! IT WAS THE SERP. TENSION HOUSING AND BELT. THE MECHANIC AGAIN SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN THAT PROBLEM, SPECIAL ORDERED THE PART FROM A FORD DEALER WHO WAS ALSO SHOCKED. THIS COST US $195.96. SO FAR, WE HAVE SUNK $2321.11 INTO THIS CAR. THE WORST PART IS THAT WE STILL OWE ON IT. MAY OF '04 WE WENT TO LOU GRUBB FORD AND WERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE OUR OIL CHANGES WERE NOT DONE AT A FORD DEALER! FORD FIELD ENGINEER DENIED SEEING US. THE FORD C.S. WOMAN SAID, "WELL, I GUESS IT'S TIME TO TRADE IN THE CAR. PEOPLE TRADE IN BAD CARS ALL THE TIME". I HAVE ISSUES KNOWING THAT SOME POOR SOUL WILL OWN THIS MONEY TRAP. WE HAVE WRITTEN 3 LETTERS TO THE FORD HEADQUARTERS IN DEARBORN, MI, BUT HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE. IT SHAKES & IDLES LIKE IT COULD DIE AT ANY TIME! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A CLASS ACTION SUIT. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN IF THIS IS THEIR IDEA OF 'BUILT FORD TOUGH'. *AK